European Commission chief Jean Claude Juncker said Wednesday as part of his State of the Union address during a plenary session at the European Parliament that protecting the bloc against terrorism was its top priority.
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The EU has laid out its ambitions for pushing forward with mobile connectivity, including the provision of free Wi-Fi across member nations, and goals for rolling out 5G, the next step in mobile broadband.
Junker will also urge states to complete the setting up of a European Border and Coast Guard, a project driven by last year’s chaotic arrival of over a million migrants and refugees, and propose new cooperation among EU armies, as well as pushing for an acceleration of capital markets union.
“Post Brexit and without the British veto [a new military headquarters] has now very much become an option”, said Sophia Besch, research fellow at the Centre for European Reform.
“But the European Union as such is not at risk”, said Jean-Claude Juncker.
“The next 12 months are the crucial time to deliver an EU that protects and preserves the European way of life, that defends our citizens at home and overseas, and takes responsibility”, he added.
Previously, British Prime Minister Theresa May has told the country that her government would not activate procedures under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty – which officially dictate how an EU member state should withdraw from the union – before next year.
– Investment – ============== Juncker proposed doubling his flagship investment fund to 630 billion euros ($707 billion) by 2022 in a bid to boost the economy.
The initial aim of the Investment Plan for Europe, which was first announced last year, was to mobilize 315 billion euros over three years. “It was the usual recipe, more Europe – and in this particular case, more military Europe”.
He also proposed providing more than $500 billion of investment for small firms by 2020, and to set up a European Solidarity Corps which would see young people volunteer to help in crises including the refugee crisis and the recent quake in Italy. “Tolerance can not come at the price of our security, ” Juncker added.
On October 2, Hungary will hold a referendum vote to decide whether the European Union can mandate the number of refugees resettled in the country without the approval of Hungary’s National Assembly.
Juncker also proposed a European military headquarters, efforts to “work towards a common military force” in coordination with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the creation of a European defense fund to stimulate research.
The Prime Minister slapped down Brexit Secretary David Davis for saying it was “very improbable” that the United Kingdom could be in the single market and also control its borders.
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The YouTube interview came after Mr Juncker urged European Union members to stick together following the Brexit vote and called on Britain to trigger Article 50 and begin departure negotiations.
